


Allowances

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bechdel Test Pass, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, Female Characters, Female Relationships, Female-Centric, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-03-12 23:18:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3358991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Methinks the lady doth protest too much."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Allowances

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 14 February 2015  
> Word Count: 1169  
> Written for: swap-bot challenge "Ten Words - Writing Swap"  
> Summary: "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."  
> Spoilers: Canon divergent AU of 3B. There's a second curse, but neither Hook nor Hood are viable romantic interests. There's no Zelena, but Snow's still pregnant.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: This was written for a swap over on swap-bot.com that required a story with a minimum of 500 words and using the following ten words within it: _Contrary ~ Stellar ~ Paintbrush ~ Medieval ~ Excessive ~ Flabbergasted ~ Yellow ~ To resurrect ~ Gluttonous ~ Fish Oil_. Not an easy thing to do, especially when trying to keep it light and funny. It got a little angsty, but I suppose that's par for the course when I'm writing Swan Queen, right? In fact, I started writing this based on a specific RP storyline of mine that is Swan Queen. It still kind of fits for that particular little universe.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: [](http://shatterpath.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**shatterpath**](http://shatterpath.dreamwidth.org/), but all remaining errors are entirely mine…

"What the hell are you doing?"

I glance up at her, paintbrush hovering in midair as I rake the fingers of my other hand through my hair. "I'm recreating a medieval masterpiece on a grain of rice. What does it look like, Emma?"

Her choked laughter is reaction enough for me to return to the task at hand. Dipping the brush in the grotesquely yellow paint, I study where it needs to go next before making any other move. I can't mess this up at this point. I've worked far too hard on it already.

"No, seriously, Regina, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Emma? I'm using the same lurid shade of yellow as that death trap you drive to paint the surface of this item with a brush."

She moves to settle on the bench next to me. "Yes, I can see that," she says, and I know she's rolling her eyes without looking at her. "I guess my question is _why_? I know you hate anything associated with my car, so I'm just curious."

"Your mother had the brilliant idea of having the children do something different for Miners Day this year," I reply, careful to keep the excessive disdain from my tone at the mention of Snow. "Since the breaking of the second curse, she's decided to help expand the curriculum for all of the children to include both the Enchanted Forest and this world. As such, she tasked all of the children to come up with a pair of large dioramas, one depicting life in the Enchanted Forest and one depicting life here."

"Okay… That still doesn't explain you and the replica of my 'death trap' that you're trying to paint."

Rolling my eyes, I return to my painting. "Contrary to popular belief, I do not micromanage Henry's education. If I did, you can bet I wouldn't be allowing Snow to resurrect any potential animosities toward me, as they inevitably spill over to Henry."

I don't even have to look at her to know her soft gasp is accompanied by a flabbergasted look that normally is adorable. Today, I know it will be marred by anger at her mother because of the very real threat that sometimes gets aimed at our son.

"And knowing what this assignment could do, you're still allowing it to happen?"

She stands and starts to pace then, and I can't help but watch her move. There's a feral grace to Emma when she's angry, a caged panther yearning for freedom. It's one of the things that first drew me to her when she brought Henry home that fateful night. Even when she's unsure of herself or her surroundings, there's a gluttonous need for control just beneath the surface. It speaks to me in ways I can't quite explain, but I know she'd understand without any words from me.

"I'm not _allowing_ anything, Emma," I finally say as I set aside the paintbrush and tiny car. "Henry requested do to this assignment. Snow even gave him the option to opt out of it and do a report instead, but he really wanted to do this. He's on the Storybrooke team, since he never got to see the Enchanted Forest at all. The other students in the group elected him to be in charge because he knows the most about City Hall, the Sheriff's Station, and the mayoral mansion."

She pauses at that, turning back to look at me. "Wait. What the hell _is_ this assignment?"

"A pair of large dioramas of Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest," I say, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at her stellar inability to remember things when she gets angry. "I am painting the car because Henry kept" -- I take a deep breath and quickly run the rest of the words together -- "messing up the details of how your car looks."

"I'm sorry?" She moves closer to sit next to me again. I don't have to look up to see the amused smirk on her face. "What was that?"

Huffing out an exasperated breath, I roll my eyes at her. "He was messing up the details of your car. He was shading in the dings and scratches incorrectly. He did it on like three of these damned little things before I finally told him I'd do it."

Emma blinks and stares at me for what feels like a very long minute, and I squelch down the urge to squirm under that piercing gaze. And then that urge starts to turn dark, wondering what she's staring at, what's going on behind those mossy eyes. Just as the thought crosses my mind to ask Archie about maybe going ahead with adding that fish oil to my supplements to help with my mood swings, Emma bursts out into hysterical laughter.

"What the hell?" I ask her, frowning at her laughter.

"No, no! Sorry, I just--" She takes a deep breath, clearly trying to calm herself down, then reaches forward to touch my hair. "You have a streak of paint in your hair. I didn't notice it before." She reaches over to gingerly pick up the little Bug I've been painting so carefully. "This is really nicely done, Regina. The fact that you could correct Henry on where all the dings and scratches are is kinda cool." She smirks and glances at me from the corner of her eye. "You know, most people would think that means you _like_ my car."

"I do not!" The words are out of my mouth before I barely even registered the thought of them.

She grins and leans forward to press a teasing kiss to my lips after whispering, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

Any thoughts of fighting her are lost as she kisses me, tongue easily slipping between my lips to tangle with mine. If this is her way of defusing a fight… Oh, who am I kidding? I'd rather kiss than fight any day of the week. My eyelids flutter shut as the kiss continues, and I vaguely realize I'll need to redo the replica of the Bug _again_. But I don't care.

"Come on, babe," Emma whispers as she pulls back from the kiss. "Let's get you into the shower and get the paint out of your hair before it's a serious issue." She leans back to study my hair again. "This _is_ acrylic paint, right?" When I nod, she lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh good. That should come out pretty easily then."

We work together to clean up the mess of my afternoon's work, then head into the house and up to the bedroom. When Emma stops off to talk to Henry, I proceed to the bathroom. Someone's going to get spoiled with a treat tonight, and I'm not talking about Henry getting paid to go sit at Granny's and eat crap food for the next hour or two.

Maybe I won't need that fish oil after all…


End file.
